Eagles sign veteran speedster to bolster WR room

The Eagles have signed veteran receiver John Ross to a one-year deal, the team announced on Thursday.

This signing comes just a few days after DeVante Parker officially retired. So the Eagles are replacing one former first-round pick with another.

Ross, 28, was with the Eagles on a tryout at rookie minicamp earlier this spring. While he wasn’t signed immediately after that tryout, he must have done enough to stay on the Eagles’ radar, especially with a need to bolster the receiver room.

Ross (5-11, 194) initially retired before last season but took a step toward a comeback with his tryout at Eagles rookie camp. He’ll have a chance to earn a spot on the 53-man roster this spring and summer. The Eagles have already begun their OTAs.

The Bengals took Ross out of Washington with the No. 9 overall pick back in 2017 after he broke the 40-yard dash record at the Combine with a blazing 4.22. That record stood until this year when Texas WR Xavier Worthy ran a 4.21.

While Ross had pure speed, his NFL career hasn’t gone to plan. In four years with the Bengals, he had just 51 catches for 733 yards and 10 touchdowns. His most productive season came in 2019 when he had 28/506/3 in just 8 games. Injuries helped to derail his career.

In 2021, Ross joined the Giants but had just 11 catches for 224 yards and a touchdown in 10 games. In his career, Ross has averaged 15.4 yards per catch, so he’s been a deep threat when he’s been able to stay on the field.

But Ross hasn’t played a snap in the NFL since 2021. So it’s hard to really know exactly what the Eagles are getting.

There’s no question the Eagles’ depth at receiver beyond their two stars is a little troubling. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith represent one of the best duos of receivers in the NFL but after them there are serious questions, especially after Parker’s retirement.

The top remaining receiver fighting for that WR3 job is Parris Campbell, who has had a disappointing NFL career himself. The Eagles also drafted Ainias Smith in the fifth round and Johnny Wilson in the sixth last month.

With Ross aboard, the Eagles have 11 wide receivers on their 90-man roster. The Eagles have two spots open on their 90-man roster because OT Laekin Vakalahi has an international exemption.

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